Safety razor blade sharpening device



' Oct. 10, 1944. w, s rr 2,360,079

SAFTEY RAZOR BLADE SHARPENING DEVICE Filed June 1, 1942 FIB-E.

Q INVENTOR.

HTIZURNBY Patented Oct. 10, 1944 OFFICE SAFETY RAZOR BLADE SHARPENING DEVICE William A. Smith, Bronxville, N. Y.

Application June 1, 1942, Serial No. 445,528

2 Claims.

This invention relates to a unique safety razor blade sharpening device, particularly to those specializing in very thin blades, such as of the Gillette type.

An important feature of this invention, is the formation of a plurality of flat surfaces spaced at an obtuse angle to each other, so that when the thin blade is depressed and moved back and forth, the cutting or shaving edge or edges of the blade will contact the bevel or obtuse surfaces for the sharpening operation.

Another feature of this invention, is the adaptability -of providing small or large sized devices, either of which may be for home use, the small size being preferable for the pocket or traveling bag or suit case.

Another feature of this invention, is the double sharpening device, in which the blade may be sharpened first on a roughened or abrasive surface, then finished on a smooth surface, both of which may be upper obtuse surfaces, or one on the upper and the other on the lower surfaces.

Other features of this invention will appear as the description proceeds in the following specification, accompanied by the annexed drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the large size sharpening device.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same device.

Figure 3 is an end view of the same device.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the base portion.

Figure 5 is an end view of a small size pocket device.

Figure 5a is a perspective view of the same small size pocket device.

Figure 6 is a similar view as Figure 5, disclosing a double device.

Figure 6a. is a perspective view of the same double device.

Figure 7 is an end view of an alternative pocket size device.

Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional view of the blade showing one edge thereof being sharpenedon the obtuse flat surface. 7

Figure 9 is a perspective View of a double device as shown.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral I0, a channel-like member, made of any suitable material, for example, of glass, porcelain, whet-stone or corundum, and the like. The device has a base portion I2 and flat surfaces l5 set on an obtuse angle to each other with a small curve portion I4 therebetween. These flat surfaces start left and right of the intermediate horizontal surface l5a having adjacent extending flat surfaces lEb left and right therefrom at about 30 degrees, thence further fiat surfaces 150 extending from first left and right flat surfaces at also about 30 degrees therefrom, or degrees from the intermediate horizontal flat surface I5a, and may or may not have the vertical flat surfaces [5d as shown, this being optional.

It is to be noted in Figure 4, which is on an enlarged scale overFigure 3, that the thin razor blade B when moving over the flat surfaces enables the edges E to be guided to their obtuse sharpening surface ill in a smooth-like manner, the blade B being in a yielding position when straddling the curve portion I l, shown clearly in Figure 8, so edges E will continually become more tapering from the point, and not blunt-like, as the shoulder portion SH wears away, whereby the sharpening operation provides a keen shaving edge. It is very essential that the obtuse angle be very precise for the sharpening of the edges E, this may vary around degrees at A between the arch arrows in Figure 4, or the rise about 30 degrees more or less, depending on how thin or thick the razor blade B may be. The sectors S shown in Figure 3, may have their base SB, which are the flat surfaces i5, slightly less than the width of the blade B from edge E to edge E, so that either one of the edges E will be constantly contacting the obtuse surfaces IS in their movement back and forth by the finger F.

In Figures 1, 2 and 3, the device is shown about full size, such a large device is adaptable for home use, and to provide a small pocket size device, Figures 5, 5a; 6, 6a; 7, 7a; and 9, discloses such a device, similar in purpose, but alternatively different in design or formation of the obtuse surfaces, these similar parts having their same numeral primed as indicated by l0, l0", lil and 1, either of which may be adopted.

In Figures 6, 6a, '7 and 9 a double device is shown having two sharpening surfaces each being of a different substance, one rough and the other smooth, for example, of abrasive material and hardened leatheradapted to have applied thereon, corundum as desired, as indicated at l5 and I5", l5a, l6 and H, the rough surfaces Hill, It and I1 removing the burred edges, while the smooth surfaces [5 and I5 finishes the sharpening operation.

It is to be understood that blades that are not flexible may be sharpened on my device but the obtuse angle will then vary, that depending on thickness or the blade and the draft of the shaving edges.

'As shown in Figure 8, the edge 8 has about passed its sharpening operation onto the obtuse surface. I5, it will be noted that in this view the point end'will not become blunt-like, but will continue to be more thinner with the thin keen edge portion wearing away towards the shoulder SH at the full thickness of the blade B.

follows:

'1. In a flexible safety razor blade sharpening 1 device of the character described, comprising a channel-like memberhaving a base portion and side wall portions, said zontal plane and parallel tosaid base portion,

channel-like member having an intermediate flat surface on a horisaid horizontal flat surface having left and right flat surfaces extending therefrom at about degrees, and further flat surfaces extending from said left and right fiat surfaces at about 30 degrees therefrom and degrees'to said intermediate horizontal fiat surface, all of said flat surfaces having a curved portion therebetween. 2. In a flexible safetyr'azor blade sharpening device of the character described, comprising a channel-like member having a base portion, said base portion provided with an intermediate horizontal flat surface having left and right flat surfaces extending at about 30 degress therefrom, further flat surfaces extending from said left and right flat surfaces at about 30 degrees and 60.degiees to said horizontal flat surface, said further fiat surfaces terminating into vertical flat surfaces extendingat about 30 degrees therefrom, all of said flat surfaces having a curved portion therebetween.

WILLIAM A. SMITH. 

